NHS England appoints first female chief executive Amanda Pritchard

Amanda Pritchard is currently chief operating officer for the NHS in England
It will go down in history as it is the first time a woman has been given the title
PA Wire
Lily Waddell28 July 2021

Amanda Pritchard is going to be the new head of the NHS in England.

It will go down in history as it is the first time a woman has been given the title after the role of chief executive in the NHS in England was first created in 1985.

Ms Pritchard will take up her new role on Sunday in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

She said in a statement: “I am honoured to lead the NHS, particularly as the first woman chief executive of an organisation whose staff are more than three-quarters female.

“I have always been incredibly proud to work in the health service but never more so than over the last 18 months as nurses, doctors, therapists, paramedics, pharmacists, porters, cleaners and other staff have responded so magnificently to the Covid pandemic.

“There are big challenges ahead as NHS staff continue to deal with significant pressures while maintaining the rollout of the hugely successful NHS vaccination programme and tackle backlogs that have inevitably built up in the face of rising Covid infections.

“However the skill, determination and ‘can do’ spirit that NHS staff have shown in the face of the greatest challenge in the health service’s history means we face the future with confidence.”

Ms Pritchard has played a key role in the health service, having run the London trust Guy’s and St Thomas’ as well as being chief executive of NHS Improvement.

She first joined the NHS through the graduate management training scheme in 1997.

Ms Pritchard also served as a health team leader in the Cabinet Office’s delivery unit.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I am delighted Amanda has been appointed the new NHS chief executive, the first woman in the history of the health service to hold this post.

“This is a critical moment for the NHS as it continues to care for Covid patients whilst tackling treatment backlogs caused by the pandemic.

“Amanda’s experience and expertise mean she is perfectly placed to address these issues and more, and I look forward to working closely with her.

“I want to again thank Lord Stevens for his dedicated service and leadership for the past seven years – especially when facing the extraordinary pressures of the pandemic, and for his huge contribution to our vaccine rollout.”

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid added: “Amanda brings an unparalleled wealth and depth of experience, having worked in the NHS for nearly 25 years, and at this crucial moment for our country frontline staff will value her operational experience and steady hand.

“I look forward to working closely with Amanda on the challenges ahead, and am delighted we are appointing the first woman to the post in NHS history.

“I know she will support the NHS and its workforce of over a million people, and ensure the best possible care for our nation as we move forwards from this pandemic, and for many more years to come.”

Ms Pritchard will be in charge of the NHS’s annual budget of around £130 billion and the service’s 1.2 million staff.

The chief executive salary was between £195,000 and £200,000, according to the NHS England annual report for 2019/20.

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